Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider Maverick Vinales made strong statements regarding his 2027 contract at a press conference in Assen. The Spanish rider, who has 10 MotoGP victories, emphasized that KTM should have given him the freedom to negotiate with other teams from the moment they decided against including him in their factory team.
Being excluded from the Brno test was the 'final proof'.
Following the Czech GP, Pirelli held a private test in Brno on Monday. This test gave riders the opportunity to try out 850cc motorcycles and the Italian manufacturer's 2027 tire range for the first time. Each manufacturer was allowed to field two riders; KTM opted for Pedro Acosta (who is reportedly moving to Ducati), Pol Espargaro, and Dani Pedrosa, while Vinales was not invited. Vinales considered this development the clearest indication that he has no place in KTM's 2027 plans.
“KTM didn’t invite me to the Brno test on Monday; so I think everyone can see how clear the picture is,” said Vinales, continuing: “If I were one of the few riders who would remain in the lineup, I could have tested the 850cc bike — but I didn’t. I didn’t request the test; I was kept uninformed for two weeks about whether I would test it or not, and I finally learned from the press that Pedro Acosta would be testing it. They just had to call and tell me. After I said two weeks ago that I would be doing the test, they didn’t even bother to call and inform me that Acosta had been selected.”
Vinales: 'I learned everything from the press'‘
Vinales stated that communication completely broke down the moment KTM changed its factory team plan. “The group’s plan was to get me into the factory team; but whatever they say,” the rider summarized the situation with these words: “I can’t imagine myself outside of the world championship. If I leave here, there are a thousand different paths ahead of me; it’s not the end of the world. But if I can’t find a place in the championship, the only one responsible is KTM — nobody else is to blame. When they realized they weren’t going to get me into the factory team, they should have let me go; I’ll handle my own business. I learned all this from the press; nobody sat down and explained the situation to me. It’s that simple.”
Another factor complicating the contract process is KTM's option on Vinales until the end of June. With the rider market shaping up at record speeds before the start of the 850cc era, almost all teams in the group have already finalized their 2027 lineups. KTM, however, has made it clear that they want to see Vinales fully recover physically before offering him a new contract.